Todd Blanche Hearing Tests DOJ Trust as Epstein Files and Trump Settlement Face Scrutiny
Todd Blanche’s confirmation hearing to become attorney general became a direct test of whether senators trust him to lead the Justice Department while controversies involving the Epstein files and a Trump-linked tax settlement remain unresolved.
The Senate Judiciary Committee listed Wednesday’s hearing as Blanche’s nomination to be attorney general of the United States. Blanche is currently acting attorney general and previously served as President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer.
The most visible public reaction centered on Epstein survivors. CBS News reported that Blanche refused to commit personally to meeting survivors after Sen. Dick Durbin pressed him on the Epstein investigation and DOJ transparency. ABC News reported that several survivors attended the hearing and that Blanche said DOJ would meet with victims and pursue new investigations if evidence supports charges.
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Blanche also faced questions over DOJ’s release of Epstein files. ABC reported he acknowledged mistakes involving victim redactions and said the department tried to fix them. AP reported the flawed release left some identifying information and images insufficiently redacted.
A second pressure point involved the Anti-Weaponization Fund and a settlement tied to Trump’s IRS lawsuit. Reuters reported Blanche called the fund dead but acknowledged the underlying settlement had not been formally rescinded. AP reported lawmakers remained concerned that the fund had not been killed in writing.
The practical consequence is confirmation risk. AP reported Blanche may need each Republican on the Judiciary Committee and that a single GOP defection could derail the nomination. That makes the hearing more than a partisan clash. It is a test of whether Blanche can convince senators that DOJ’s next permanent leader will serve the department, not Trump’s personal interests.
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